“Ryuuko.”
A familiar voice roused me from my sleep. My head was throbbing, as I got up and tried to adjust to my surroundings. An empty classroom. The setting sun, its rays shining through the windows bathing the room in an orange glow. And in front of my desk stood a girl, her ponytail swaying, and a gentle smile on her face.
“Asumi, how long have I been asleep?” My head hurts. As I got up and rubbed my eyes, my hair fell over my face.
“You’ve been sleeping since fifth period. I tried to wake you, but you wouldn’t budge.” Her delicate hands moved to fix my hair. Brushing aside my bangs she placed the hair clips back on each side. “There we go.”
“I can’t believe I slept that long. Maybe it was a bad idea to stay up so late last night.” My body was still sore from the deep slumber as I stretched my limbs. My right arm was numb but slowly everything began to warm up.
“Did you stay up late writing a new story?” she asked with excitement in her eyes.
I nodded my head with glee.
“I picked up a really good book recently. It was such a simple yet captivating tale about two siblings. It really gave me some good ideas.”
“My, I hope you will let me read it when you’re done. However,”
“Mmph!”
She clasped her hands on my cheeks.
“Staying up late is bad for your health. If you don’t sleep properly your skin will get wrinkly. You don’t want to look like a grandma while still being in high school now, do you?” She lectured me while squishing and playing with my cheeks.
“That would make for an interesting story. Second year grandma, title is a work in progress.”
Asumi sighed and shook her head in resignation.
“You’re incorrigible. That pretty skin is wasted on you.”
Suddenly, a sly grin spread across her face.
“Ryuuko,” She said in a creepy tone. “Remember that book you recommended me the other day? There was an interesting story about two girls who were best friends.”
“You mean the one that was a compilation of horror stories? Wasn’t that story actually about one of the girls being secretly jealous of the other and it ends with her skinning her best friend alive? Y-yeah…what about it?” I asked nervously.
She slowly nodded her head, a creepy smile appearing on her face as she stared at me.
“Asumi…where are you going with this?”
She sat down in front of me and slowly stroked my face.
“It just got me thinking; Ryuuko, your skin is so smooth and beautiful. I’ve always been a little…envious of you.”
I carefully slid back away from her. “I am flattered but I don’t see what that has to do with anything.”
She hunched over in her seat and covered her face with her palms. She was silent. She did not move. I felt a slight shiver down my spine.
“Asumi, what’s wrong?” I asked, worried as I cautiously reach my arm out to her.
“WAAAH!” She suddenly leapt out of her seat and screamed. I stared at her, unfazed as her face turn bright red.
“5 points.”
“Oh, I really thought I got you this time.” She sighed as she sat back down.
“You can’t fool me anymore, especially when I can tell when your S-switch is turned on. But your acting has gotten better.”
“S-switch? You’re still calling it that? You make it sound so…lewd.”
“I only call it what it is.”
Ding Ding Ding
The school bell rang. Its melancholic chime spread throughout the building, signaling the end of the day.
“I better go. Club is starting soon.” She said as she packed up her things and prepared to leave.
“Wait, I’ll go with you.”
She gave me a surprised look.
“But don’t you have club as well?”
“I do?”
“You’re in the literature club, aren’t you?”
“Huh?” Suddenly I felt a sharp pain in my head. “Ow!”
“Ryuuko, are you okay?” she asked with concern as she saw me winced in pain.
“I’m fine. Let’s just go.” I tried to reassure her.
That was strange. Why did my head suddenly…?
